1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to a portable baseball, softball and golf swing training device, and more particularly, to a portable baseball. Softball and golf swing training device that allows, fixes and controls the amount of pivoting of the rear foot and the distance and angle of the forward foot when stepping into a pitch or hitting a golf ball in a manner that is fixed for each swing while being adjustable to an individual batter's or golfer's swing style.
2. Description of the Background Art
Baseball and softball players and golfers are always looking for ways to improve their swing and power. Improving a player's batting or swing form and technique is based on repetition and creating muscle memory. Baseball and softball hitters swing with the pivoting of the rear foot and stepping into a pitch with the forward foot. It is well known, that to realize the most power and momentum in a batting swing a hitter creates torque in the hips by pivoting the rear foot, rotating the hips and stepping into a pitch with the forward foot. Hitting a golf ball is different in that the forward foot is kept stationary and the rear loot pivoted when swinging. It is also important that a hitter keep the hips level and avoid lifting upward when hitting. Each player has a different comfort level with the amount a rear foot needs to be rotated and the distance and angle of the forward foot when stepping into a pitch or its position when hitting a golf ball.
A variety of baseball batting and golf swing training devices for practicing the swings are known in the background art. However, these known devices tend to only focus on the pivoting of the rear foot or placement of the feet. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,914, issued to Greene, discloses a baseball swing training apparatus having an elongate base and static forward stop, step member, connecting member and pivot step member extending laterally from the connecting member. U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,010, issued to Du Brock, discloses an apparatus having a base and stride limiter defining a stride area for training a batter to hit a baseball with proper swing mechanics by controlling swing stride. U.S. Pat. No. 7,009,559, issued to Hedgepath, discloses a baseball batting stance training assembly having a mat and plurality of removable foot-receiving cuffs. U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,966, issued to Guzman, discloses a method for controlling a batter's foot comprising a flexible panel having an arch and secured to the ground with a pair of rods. U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,176, issued to Hayes et al., discloses a sports stance follow-through training apparatus having a planar foot platform, a flexible foot guard and a ground spike pivotally connected to the bottom of the platform. U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,671, issued to Castleberry, discloses a golf swing training apparatus having a base and rotator disk attached to the base for receiving a user's foot. U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,735 issued to Wilson, discloses a batting practice trainer apparatus comprising two oppositely disposed flat support members having a home plate member disposed therebetween and attached thereto, and placement guide members comprised of pliable material and having a pivot foot recess, a first stride foot recess and a second stride foot recess. U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,930, issued to Sertich, discloses a rotatable foot support, foot strap and foot guide. U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0098137, tiled by Golom, discloses a baseball swing training device including a rear fool pivot limiting mechanism having a rotating dement and rotating limiting element. U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0267498, filed by Bard, discloses a sports training aid having a placement area inclined in two directions. U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0258486, tiled by Hedgepath, discloses a baseball batting stance training mat and assembly comprising a stance training mat and at least one rearward foot receiving cuff. Although these references disclose various swing training devices, they fail to adequately address or resolve the shortcomings in the field of proper swing training.
The aforementioned devices do not provide a device or system that facilitates training the required repetition in the pivoting of the rear foot, stepping into a pitch with the forward foot (or placement of the forward foot in golf) and keeping the hips level with consistency and simultaneously when swinging. As each of these aspects of proper hitting techniques are needed to improve and excel in hitting a baseball, a training device that focuses on all these techniques is needed to help a batter improve and excel in hitting techniques. However, there are no known batting training devices that provide this complete level and technique of training. Therefore, there exists a need for such a baseball or golf swing training device that addresses and resolves these issues. It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. The instant invention addresses this unfulfilled need in the prior art by providing a baseball or golf swing training device as contemplated by the instant invention disclosed herein.